TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics is celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Wednesday with female athletes from all sports discussing the importance of this day and what it means to be a female athlete at Cincinnati.
A video featuring interviews with athletes from every women's sport at UC will be shared on Cincinnati's main athletic account (@GoBearcats). Each sport will also be sharing quotes from its athletes on specific sport accounts.
Select questions and answers from the interviews are featured below:
What does it mean to you to be a woman in sports?
"Being a woman in sports is all about defying the odds. At some point in all of our lives there's always been that one person who tells you that you can't do something so it's all about building the confidence in yourself and being able to show yourself that you can push yourself to the limits." -Kendall Battle, Senior, Soccer
"To be a woman in sports is very empowering…I feel like little girls are looking up to me and my teammates and they can see that anything is possible." -Kylie Nause, Senior, Lacrosse
Who is one of your biggest inspirations?
"Lusia Harris (women's basketball pioneer)…when she first started her basketball career she did not have any basketball skills and she was sleeping with her poster of Oscar Robertson above her bed and by the end of her career she was right on top. The fact that she was able to stand out in basketball, especially when women's basketball wasn't really developed, inspires me." –Sofia Gritzali, Junior, Women's Basketball
"Someone that I look up to a lot is (swimmer) Simone Manuel, she is an Olympic gold medalist. Her road hasn't been easy and I think that's the beauty in it, she's resilient and it's really special to look up to someone who goes through the hard times to get to the highest highs." -Jessica Davis, Sophomore, Swimming and Diving
What are three words you would use to describe women in sports?
"Driven, hardworking and competitive." -Abby walker, Freshman, Volleyball
"Women in sports are motivated, hardworking and committed." - Maria Santilli, Senior, Tennis
What advice would you give a young girl just getting started in your sport?
"Your body is the perfect athletic body. Your body is made to do what you do so don't ever doubt that and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise." –Maddie Walker, Junior, Cross Country
"Do not give up on yourself. Continue to work hard, practice outside of practice and just have the confidence in yourself and it will come." -Kendall Battle, Senior, Soccer
What is one of your best memories as a female athlete?
"One of my favorite memories from UC track and field was my freshman year when we won the indoor conference title as a team. It was one of the best moments – just accomplishing something like that with your teammates around you and I'll never forget it." -Kennedy Marable, Senior, Track and Field
"My high school didn't have a women's team, so I played on the men's team. I remember starting that first tournament and playing the same tees as them and they were all asking if I wanted to move up and I told them 'No, I'm good,' and our team won and I ended up being a medalist there." –Katie Hallinan, Senior, Women's Golf
A video featuring interviews with athletes from every women's sport at UC will be shared on Cincinnati's main athletic account (@GoBearcats). Each sport will also be sharing quotes from its athletes on specific sport accounts.
Select questions and answers from the interviews are featured below:
What does it mean to you to be a woman in sports?
"Being a woman in sports is all about defying the odds. At some point in all of our lives there's always been that one person who tells you that you can't do something so it's all about building the confidence in yourself and being able to show yourself that you can push yourself to the limits." -Kendall Battle, Senior, Soccer
"To be a woman in sports is very empowering…I feel like little girls are looking up to me and my teammates and they can see that anything is possible." -Kylie Nause, Senior, Lacrosse
Who is one of your biggest inspirations?
"Lusia Harris (women's basketball pioneer)…when she first started her basketball career she did not have any basketball skills and she was sleeping with her poster of Oscar Robertson above her bed and by the end of her career she was right on top. The fact that she was able to stand out in basketball, especially when women's basketball wasn't really developed, inspires me." –Sofia Gritzali, Junior, Women's Basketball
"Someone that I look up to a lot is (swimmer) Simone Manuel, she is an Olympic gold medalist. Her road hasn't been easy and I think that's the beauty in it, she's resilient and it's really special to look up to someone who goes through the hard times to get to the highest highs." -Jessica Davis, Sophomore, Swimming and Diving
What are three words you would use to describe women in sports?
"Driven, hardworking and competitive." -Abby walker, Freshman, Volleyball
"Women in sports are motivated, hardworking and committed." - Maria Santilli, Senior, Tennis
What advice would you give a young girl just getting started in your sport?
"Your body is the perfect athletic body. Your body is made to do what you do so don't ever doubt that and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise." –Maddie Walker, Junior, Cross Country
"Do not give up on yourself. Continue to work hard, practice outside of practice and just have the confidence in yourself and it will come." -Kendall Battle, Senior, Soccer
What is one of your best memories as a female athlete?
"One of my favorite memories from UC track and field was my freshman year when we won the indoor conference title as a team. It was one of the best moments – just accomplishing something like that with your teammates around you and I'll never forget it." -Kennedy Marable, Senior, Track and Field
"My high school didn't have a women's team, so I played on the men's team. I remember starting that first tournament and playing the same tees as them and they were all asking if I wanted to move up and I told them 'No, I'm good,' and our team won and I ended up being a medalist there." –Katie Hallinan, Senior, Women's Golf